Pastor Carlton Howell        Â
Standing Firm in the Faith
Teaching from the “5 Challenges for Men Series”
[Speaker 1] (0:10 – 9:39)
Get the Blessings everybody, blessings men of God. It is wonderful to have you all once again for our men of power, meaning as we are going through the five challenges for men, the five challenges for men. Tonight we’re going to be talking about standing firm in the faith.
Yes, yes, standing firm in the faith. A recap from the last time we was on, we talked about being on guard and we’re coming out of 1 Corinthians chapter 16 and we’re looking at verses 13 and 14 and I’m gonna get that pulled up and read to you real quick. 1 Corinthians chapter 16 and that’s verses 13 through 14.
I’m going to read it from the New Living Translation tonight and it says this, be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. And verse 14 says, and do everything with love, with love. I love the way it reads in the New King James, verse 14 says, let all that you do be done with love.
Okay, love is a key factor in this. And so last week we talked about in our five challenges for men being on guard and the focus of last week’s, not last week’s, but the week before last was attention being given to daily Christian living. And we talked about it being a key element in our lives on the alertness to the lure of things such as morality.
So tonight though, we’re going to jump in and we’ll do a, I’m going to do a brief talk and then we’re going to open it up and we’re going to, we’re going to talk about some things. Tonight’s focus, we’re going to be making a distinction between being on guard and standing firm, right? Being on guard and standing firm.
We are going to be looking at the importance. I want you to think about the importance of each and how each has a uniqueness in its own application. So being on guard and standing firm in the faith, how each is unique and has its own uniqueness and how that application is applied.
With that, there’s a story that Peter wrote to the believers in Asia Minor, which is around Central Turkey today. And he wrote this to address the abuse and the persecution that they were continually experiencing. He encouraged them to endure, to live holy lives even in their city.
He told them in 1 Peter 5 verses 8 through 12, he told them to be alert. Y’all remember this verse? And of sober mind that your enemy, the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
He says, he goes on, he says, resist him. He tells us to stand firm in the faith. And this is where we’re coming from tonight.
Because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same type of sufferings. In verse 12, he says, I have written you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true grace of God. Stand fast in it.
So Peter here is encouraging believers in Asia Minor to stand firm in the battle. And in the face of this battle, and this battle we all know, I believe we know well, is to keep focused on the Lord. The challenge is one of being on guard.
Noting what is said in 1 Corinthians 16, where Paul suggests a positive, engaging stance against that which is immoral, that which is say, unclean. He challenges them to stand firm. And so in challenging one to stand firm, it’s almost like he’s saying, don’t sit or walk, but stand.
And so he’s, he meant for them to stand in the way they began. A military emphasis for this would relate to say, a type of stance that helps you keep your footing in battle. They teach you how to stand when firing a weapon.
They even tell you how you ought to fire one when laying down. But in the instance of standing, the picture can be applied to our lives that in the midst of strong winds, in the midst of strong influence, say, to do wrong, that we are to stand, whether it be in the circumstances of false doctrine trying to blow us down, immoral behavior trying to blow us around, the lure, say, of lust. We’re men on here.
So the lure of lust, the lure of vanity, the lure of you just add it, fill in the blank. And when we understand this, we can see it one as us facing an enemy. And so it is being on guard, but it’s more than just guard.
We are now, because we’re standing firm and we’re being on guard, we can anticipate the battles. We can anticipate what is coming our way. When we talked last week, not last week, but the week before last, we talked about where Paul was.
We talked about the city of Corinth. We knew that it was a central trade hub, and we know that all sorts of idolatry and immoral behavior was coming through. And Paul is definitely telling them in the midst of all of the evil that was around them, he was telling these men to be strong and to stand and to do everything, in verse 14, he tells us, in love.
In the second phrase of the command that is given, we see the words in the faith, which is, I want to say it’s not your personal faith or faith which is is non-pacific, but it is a relationship that is largely grounded on the belief that is common to all believers. And it finds its very roots in Christ Jesus, Messiah. And so here’s the other challenge.
This is a challenge to live by faith totally, to live by it daily, and to place our trust in him eternally. Many contradictors or commentators, not contradictors, but commentators have suggested that this challenge should be included in other things that we abide by. And to them, I would simply go back to, what is it, first Peter, you know, be on guard.
We would tell, we should, I would tell people to be encouraged, to be strong, and to do all things in love, in the faith. So all those things are in the faith. And so with all that being said, with all that wonderful stuff being said, I want to ask a question and this is where we can, please y’all got to engage with me.
I love seeing my brother on. Hello Aaron, Sean, who else is on? We got some others on.
And some reason my thing don’t want to move down. And Bishop Von Smith, welcome you all to Grace’s Men of Power. Here’s the first question.
Let’s open up. What is happening when in your spiritual life, and I’m gonna put it in the comments too, what is happening when in your spiritual life you find yourself sitting rather than standing? Anybody want to start out the conversation with that?
Now where it goes, where it go. But let’s start out with that. Where in your spiritual life do you find yourself when you’re sitting rather than standing?
[Speaker 4] (9:43 – 9:46)
That gives you idle hands and idle mind.
[Speaker 1] (9:47 – 11:17)
You said an idle mind? Idle mind and idle hand. Okay.
So you say you find yourself being idle. What’s the dangers of finding yourself being idle? What, you know, I like with myself, with some of the things I have encountered or struggled with when I have found myself sitting and then using what you’re saying, being idle, it almost becomes easier for me to fall into a pattern of things that are not correct for me to do.
You know, you can just fill in the blank with it. But that’s just something when, you know, you say idle mind. Brings me to Proverbs chapter 16.
An ungodly man digs up evil and it’s on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife and a whisper separates the best of friends. A violent man entices his neighbor and leads them away, which is not good.
But that’s just the first thing that came to my mind. Yes, go ahead, Sean.
[Speaker 3] (11:19 – 12:19)
I also think kind of along the Proverbs line, you know, it talks about in Proverbs 20 verses four, the slugger does not plow in autumn. He will seek at harvest and have nothing, you know, not necessarily going to harvest time. But, you know, it’s like if you’re a slugger, you know, you’re not doing anything and you’re expecting things.
So let’s say you’re standing or you’re sitting still and Proverbs talks about it as well as a person who just is lazy and stays in their bed all day. But also, it’s like if you’re sitting still, you know, and you’re and you’re getting battled upon in your mind, you know, and you’re not doing anything, you know, and you’re just sitting there taking it instead of sitting there battling it, you know, it’s like you’re expecting something to save you, but you’re not doing anything.
[Speaker 1] (12:23 – 14:58)
And that can be a very dangerous scenario for us because, you know, I don’t believe that, and this is now, of course, this is not Bible, this is me, I don’t believe that we at most times as men, we go looking for trouble. Now there are some who do, there are some who do, but for the most part, us who are believers, who are truly attempting to walk out this thing called salvation with fear and trembling, that we don’t go, we don’t run towards sin. However, we find ourselves in those idle times, slowly drifting into it.
And this is why I truly believe that it is important that when it comes to the things of the faith, and it comes to where we are to stand our ground is against idle hands and idle minds. Proverbs 16, 27, I read the wrong one, an ungodly man digs up evil, where is it? I wanted to read it from another one because it says an idle hands is like a devil’s playground, that’s what I was looking for, but I keep grabbing the wrong scripture before as I get ready to read it.
In the living Bible, I’m sorry, the living Bible, it tells that idle hands are the devil’s workshop and idle lips are his mouthpiece. That’s what I was looking for, but I kept pulling up the wrong passages of scripture. And it’s so detrimental, again, sitting still.
And that kind of leads me to the next question, but it also answers the next question, Sean, you answered the question for me. It said, how can you tell, or how can you hold your ground and defend the truths of the faith? How can you hold your ground?
When we, an example, when I would love Paul to elaborate on this, because he has a great testimony of a witness from last week, where he stood the ground, if he doesn’t mind, I would love for him to speak on this. But the question is, how do you hold your ground and defend the truths of the faith?
[Speaker 5] (15:01 – 16:29)
Can everybody hear me okay? Okay, sorry, I’m having internet issues. The reference that pastor is referring to is I went to a job at a fast food restaurant the other day, and I was listening in where there was an employee and another employee discussing the Word and what ended up happening was the one employee misspoke on what the Word truly meant in defense of themselves living in sin.
They were twisting the words. And then the young gentleman stood up, it said, that’s not what the Word says, and pulled out his Bible and was able to reference to the other employee, what had happened. And I was able to come out and be able to affirm what he said.
And it allowed that misconception of what the Word meant to be revealed to the person, whether they agreed with it or not. But the man stood on the Word of God, despite having conflictions in the workplace. And he was able to stand on that and know that his God is real, this is what his Word says.
Even though I am in my workplace, I can stand firmly on what that means.
[Speaker 1] (16:31 – 19:13)
Thank you so much. And so the idea of someone being idle would be, I would say would be to sit when you see such things going on. Doesn’t necessarily mean that if Paul did not stand up and do what he did, it would have been sin.
No, that is not what I’m saying. But in defense of the faith, even in defense of another, this goes into verse 14, it was done with love. So in defense, he was able to stand on the Word.
And in our individual lives, when we’re by ourselves, of course, when we’re in that, I would say vulnerable spot of life, I don’t know what I’m talking about, when it’s for me in the past, when it was just me and a computer, if you’re picking up what I’m putting down, or me and a magazine for the older crowd. And I had to stand on what the Word says, am I going to violate my integrity in this, or am I going to stand even though everything that is coming against what the Word of God says for me to be as a man, to do as a man, to walk in as a man when it comes to the things of the faith, am I going to stand in that and be on guard? Because there is tons of influence that is attempting to take us off course from those who have doctrines that allow for the biblically immoral behavior that has now become susceptible in our society to the own lure of our flesh because say we’re not killing it daily.
I was joking once again during the cedar dinner last night as the young man who Paul stood in defense of the faith for came to our cedar dinner. I told him, I said, I have to kill my flesh sometimes hourly. And we all laughed because it made sense.
I am constantly on guard. I’m constantly ready knowing that there is an ever-present enemy that is looking to find accusations against me. Yes, go ahead, Sean.
[Speaker 3] (19:16 – 21:03)
It makes me think of like Ephesians 6, 17, where it’s like, and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. In order to stand firm or stand your ground in the faith, you’re going to have to be able to fight. And I love like what Paul did.
It’s like they went to the word and what that guy did, they went straight to the word and was able to get that battled out. I think of it every time. I don’t do it every time, but I try to as much as possible.
If I have, when I’m judging somebody or if I’m up on my high horse, I sit there and I go back to the word and I word it out. I’m like, Hey, the Bible says this, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I read that.
And then I asked for forgiveness because of whatever high place or maybe thing I was battling, whatever sin I was doing. That’s like, or if I’m about to sin, it’s like, Hey, Sean, you’re judging people right now. It’s like, Oh yes.
I remember in Matthew 7, I think it’s verse one. Maybe I think so. I believe.
Oh, let me see.
[Speaker 1] (21:03 – 24:32)
But that’s hiding the word in your heart. That’s having the word in your heart. That shows you that you have the spirit of the Lord living within you to not condemn you, but correct you in current behavior.
Even in thought, when you can think of getting, when you’re getting ready to do something and the spirit of the Lord stops you and brings forth what has already been planted in you, the word of God to show you and you respond. I think that fundamentally is what we should be doing on a daily basis. And that is having our minds, our ears tuned into what he is saying through his word to us and living it.
And then I always say there should be self assessment. I assess my ability to handle situations. So I would assess my ability to stand firm in certain scenarios.
Where are you weak? And if you can identify the areas of faith that you’re weak in, you can then come to the Lord for strength, for an increase of faith, for the very help and wisdom in order to be able to stand. I love what Paul says, and when you’ve done all you can do to stand, just stand, just keep on standing, just keep on trying.
It seems paradoxical, but it’s not. When you’ve done everything you could possibly do, the apostle Paul tells them, just keep on standing. You’ve done everything, just stand.
It sounds odd, but what I have found in the self assessment of my comfortability and in my confidence in the Lord is that in any situation I can stand. I just have to make the effort to stand. And so in defense of the faith, I know that I could stand in the face of adversity.
That leads me to a next question, is how do you become rooted therefore? How do you become rooted? And I’m leaving it kind of open and bland like this on purpose.
I mean, the answer is found in the word, but how do you become rooted? Yes, please. Yeah, go ahead, Sean.
[Speaker 3] (24:33 – 25:27)
Oh, I would say, it’s like to me, it’s like you said, a self assessment, knowing where you’re weak and then reading the word about that, but then also at the same time, just continually putting the word into your heart. And then believing God, like if you are a believer, then you have the spirit of God within you. And so that way he can talk to you and help you through those situations, but you have to be willing to hear him and what he’s saying.
But the first part comes by hearing and putting the word inside of you. Because if you don’t know the word or you don’t know, it’s like, how are you going to be rooted down?
[Speaker 1] (25:29 – 27:23)
So this kind of goes back to what we were talking about even last week, because think about it, you’re alluding back to a little bit of it. Faith comes by what? You know, faith comes by hearing, right?
Hearing about the word of God. So being rooted in Christ or being rooted or getting rooted means first and foremost, you got to be built up in Christ, right? In him, you find your strength.
And because of that, you are strengthened then in your faith. And when that happens, you’re able to remain in him. There are some byproducts to it because you’re now trusting in God, in his word, his promises, his works, his person, and the knowing of Christ to supply the very root that causes you to be rooted.
So to get rooted, you start trusting, meaning you depend on the Lord for everything in life. And you humble yourself to know that without him, you’re not going to accomplish what needs to be accomplished. So your faith is then built through his word.
Like you said, John, through the reading of his word, listening to his spirit when he speaks, weeding out thoughts that are toxic and contrary to his word and embracing the joy that the Lord gives at the same time preserving an unwavering confidence in his very promises.
[Speaker 3] (27:24 – 27:49)
I also, I think too that like trials and tribulations and you know, when you’re, when you go through something between somebody like, you know, you’re, you’re bending with the word, I think those help root somebody better as well, because then that’s where a lot of the trust comes from, you know.
[Speaker 1] (27:52 – 27:58)
Awesome. Go ahead.
[Speaker 4] (28:01 – 28:34)
Okay. Talking about a feeding text, also being rooted, you have to go back and look at the footwear. Like in October, I had to change my footwear to a pair of leggings instead of for static and also had OTC or soles on the boot so I can stand in quarter with, you know, that has certain like chemicals in it without slipping on it.
And if you go back to their sandals, their sandals had cleats. So whenever they dug in with their shields, they were able to withstand the enemy’s blow.
[Speaker 1] (28:38 – 29:02)
Okay. So I go back to work. Right.
So you’re, you’re, you’re thinking about, you’re making a reference to the difference between cleats and just regular shoes, right? Okay. And so being rooted with, you’re just, you’re showing it as being dug in.
[Speaker 4] (29:05 – 29:14)
Right. Like you dig your heels in so you can be able to hold and withstand what’s coming at you. If possible, you have a greater amount of counterattack.
Okay.
[Speaker 1] (29:17 – 35:10)
Don’t answer this question out loud, but answer to yourself in what area of your life are you not standing firm in? Think about it. The next question is how could you bring it back to its integrity?
These are not for public consumption. Not, not this, we’re not putting this, we’re not putting our business like this out there. I want some self-reflection.
What would you suggest? Thinking about what you have, have come up with without revealing yourself, maybe as if you was giving advice to someone else about your very situation. You can, you can, you can phrase it how you need.
What would you tell someone then if it was your situation biblically based with scripture backing to deepen the footing in which you see that you have an area that needs a little help in so that it may go deeper and wider? How then would you suggest it? These are some of the techniques that I have used in order to do that self-assessment.
When it comes to the things that I found myself weak in, for instance, several years ago when I was not a good husband and I did not know how to be a good husband. I am a child who watched his parents get divorced and remarried up to four times each. So a solid marital background was not something I came from.
And so being married was a challenge to me because, oh, they changed them out like they changed out cars. When coming to Christ, I realized that there is something to this marriage thing, holy matrimony. And I knew that I was not on sure footing with it.
Well, it was very evident. And so in the self-assessment, when I, when I think about it, I first and foremost had to put the word of God into my mind and into my heart to understand what is going on. What does it mean to be a good husband?
What does it mean to have a solid family biblically? And then look at the areas of my life where I wasn’t truly standing in that way. I think if I was to give anyone advice, which I have, it would be in that area of life, seek guidance and wisdom from someone who has achieved and gone through what you are looking to achieve.
And we find this in the business world. We find this in many walks of life. The example I give is one of this.
If you’re making a hundred dollars and all you ever made was a hundred dollars and you continually making a hundred dollars and you want to make, start making say thousands of dollars, you don’t talk to someone who just makes a hundred dollars. If you’re a millionaire and you want to be a billionaire and you want the strategies to get there and see how that was done, I’m not going to talk to someone who’s only making ten thousand dollars. I’m going to look for someone who has been through it that I may learn from.
Proverbs talks about wisdom and guidance and instruction and not to ignore instruction. I think in all of these things in standing firm, there are men who have stood firm in the various things of life. We see that in the life of Paul and the life of Peter.
And in self-reflecting, we come to find that maybe there is some areas of my life that I may need to stand better in and find someone to help me. Not anyone. Seeking those who have such things as what we’re doing here with the questions and the answers that can help us grow.
I see Bishop Smith came on. You got something Bishop?
[Speaker 2] (35:12 – 40:30)
I am grateful that I see through my Facebook association notification that you were conducting a meeting today. I’m always looking for ways to serve the Lord and serve his people. I applaud you again for gathering men in need of collaboration and cooperation that we could find ourselves, as you said, not sitting but rather standing.
I appreciate the approach. I would just add as I was listening to the scripture, it said be strong and stand firm in the faith and be men of courage and be strong. I appreciated the fact that Apostle Paul knew that that was an opportunity for us not to be strong, to operate weak, to operate like cowards, to not be firm in our belief system and what we believe.
I also believe Apostle Paul used one of my favorite words, and that’s W-H-E-N. And I allude to that often because it’s a moment of transition. It’s a small four-letter word, and you got to watch them four-letter words.
When I was growing up, I mastered some four-letter words, and they wasn’t always nice words. But as a saved man, I’m beginning to know that L-O-V-E is a powerful four-letter word. And when we let love give us some insight on the transformation that we are a part of, the change that we are a part of, the cause, if you will, you can find yourself on a Tuesday being willing to be exposed to brethren that’s trying to find out, how are you doing it?
I’m trying to do it. How are you doing it? How are you getting it done?
I’m looking and I’m listening. I’m trying to learn. And here’s an avenue called Zoom where I can be in St. Louis and be in a conversation with some more brothers. I may see them. I may not see them. But to think that I’m isolating and struggling by myself is a trick of the enemy.
Wanting me to feel it, though, while I’m thinking I’m standing, I’m not really standing. While I’m thinking I’m sitting, I ain’t really sitting. He want me to think that there is no progression, that there is no movement, there is no growth.
And that’s a trick of the devil. So when Paul is saying be strong, he literally saying it’s possible to be strong. It’s possible to be firm.
It’s possible to be confident in your walk with Christ. All of these things are possible. And I think that’s why if we don’t say we’re struggling, if we don’t look at our strengths, if we don’t notice our weaknesses, we keep playing the same game.
And we can’t appreciate that growth is taking place. Spiritual growth is taking place. I love the system of sowing and reaping.
We use it a lot when we’re around some of those wolves in sheep’s clothing. They want to somehow or another make it be all about money, that you can sow money and get a blessing, whatever. But the truth is, if you take the bank type model, you don’t put no money in a bank, you’re going to have to put a mask on and carry a gun to go in there and get some out.
And you run the risk of being noticed as a robber. But if you put in, like you saying, 1 Corinthians 16, and you’re depositing it, you’re struggling with the verses 13 and 14, but you’re being made available to put them, to have mixed it with faith, the spirit gives some sense to it. What am I talking about being strong so I do 25 push-ups a night?
That’s only going to make me physically strong. If I put $25 in a bank, that’s only going to make me have $25 and maybe a nickel worth of interest. But if I’m receiving this word in a fertile ground that the Lord is working on, in due season, that strength that Paul talks about, I’d be able to see it and I’d be able to stand on it.
So I thank you, brother, for always being willing to speak to the brethren.
[Speaker 1] (40:33 – 46:15)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
You brought up something when you talked about training and standing that really stuck out to me. I had to look it up. 1 Timothy 4, in verse 8, he talks about physical training and what its value is.
And he said it has some value. He says, for bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and that is which to come. When you were saying that, that really sparked up in my mind what he said.
You know, to stand, my brethren, is very, very important. It is a challenge to stand firm. I say it’s a challenge because for some reason, we believe that at times it’s easier to sit.
I, just like the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter, encourage us to stand firm, even in the face of this adversity, whatever it may be, in this battle, whatever it may be. And in standing, keep your focus on Christ. That is the reassurance based on the promises the Bible has for us that if we do this, having done all that we can do to stand, the Bible tells us, therefore, stand.
It’s what Sean had alluded to from Ephesians, chapter 6. Having done all you can do to stand, therefore, stand. And it gives you the tools.
Again, how do we get rooted? Well, it gives us the tools in Ephesians. The apostle Paul gives us the tools to stand in the midst of this battle, again, whatever it may be.
We know that it is not necessarily a physical battle, but it is a spiritual one. And so we stand. It is imperative that we stand firm in the faith that has been brought by Christ Jesus, not only for ourselves, but for our families.
I was reading a study, and we’ve seen it float around the social media sphere, about what happens to the household when the Father comes to Christ. Versus when the mother comes, or when the children come. What the sustainability of that household in Christ is like.
When the Father comes, oh wow, you have almost a 90 plus percent that the whole family is going to follow suit. The whole family. When the mother comes, it dramatically drops.
You’re talking about 30-some-odd percent. And when it’s just the children, you’re in teens at that point. I don’t have the actual statistics in front of me.
But that’s the power of a man when a man stands. And a man stands firm. It’s nothing against our women.
Our women are powerful. They’re mighty. But it’s something when we stand up in our families, and they see.
Some of us don’t have, some of us didn’t have fathers to stand in that way. And so I thank God for men who have stood in that stead. Be the type of man, and this is what I think to myself, I have to be the type of man that other men would want to follow.
That they see that I constantly stand in battle. My troopers did not follow me because I was the best thing since sliced bread. They followed me because they knew that irregardless, I was going to lead them.
I was going to take care of them. And they weren’t going to go in anywhere that I would not go in first. And so any closing remarks?
Any closing remarks? Yes, go ahead, Sean. I love it.
[Speaker 3] (46:16 – 48:16)
I like how you brought up that First Timothy deal about the physical training. First Timothy 4.8. Yeah, 4.8. You know, where it says for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way. I think of it like, you know, it’s like with physical training.
You can see the results, you know, as they’re coming slowly, but you know, after a while, you start seeing the results, you start feeling the results, you know. And then with that, you know, in physical training wise, you test yourself with maybe heavier weights or a harder run. And then the spiritual side, it’s like, well, god put you to go through this, and now that you’re stronger and more rooted, you know, there’s something else that’s coming around the horizon.
So it’s like, you know, it’s like every season’s prepping you for like another season to come, you know. And it’s like, again, you know, if you’re not standing rooted, it’s kind of like what Bishop was talking about. It’s like, at the same time, it’s like, how can you expect anything, you know, if you ain’t putting money in the bank, just like that Proverbs feeling, you know, like you’re expecting something.
I gotta do some iniquity.
[Speaker 1] (48:23 – 48:24)
Anyone else?
[Speaker 4] (48:24 – 49:35)
Yeah, I have something to say. I’m going to be paraphrasing it, but I think back to with my personal struggle. For the alcohol, Paul said, if the eye is leading you to stray, then pluck it out, or if the hand leads you to steal, then cut it off, or it’s better to enter heaven in pieces than burning hell in a hole.
I’ve taken the fact to spending that $15 a month for Walmart premium so I don’t have to worry about going into the shopping and walking down and grabbing something that I know is going to be hurtful. I mean, yeah, there is no telling how many thousands of dollars I’ve wasted in 24 years. But I’m learning that $15 is saving me temptation and it’s saving me a headache sometimes of going in and having to go through the crowds just to get something.
[Speaker 1] (49:41 – 53:39)
All right. Awesome. You know, when I’ve talked to some individuals when it came to the issue of pornography, and one guy just had to get rid of his computer for a while, like literally just had to get rid of his computer.
And he had to remove that thing that would tempt him. One guy I talked to, he had to get rid of Facebook and Instagram and I think something else because of the provocative ads that they would throw up. And he felt like he was just targeting them until he was able to become stronger.
Um, so I applaud you again, as we talked about before everybody came on, I applaud you in your due diligence to realize what your triggers are. And that’s a big thing, you know, knowing what those triggers are, knowing that trigger that could cause you. And then saying, okay, what some people don’t do is realizing that I’m not strong enough right now.
So, uh, I have to, I have to, I have to find ways until I am strong enough to say, go into Walmart, um, because of that, or use the internet, um, or, or watch even television at that point, you know, um, you know, uh, to, to say, yeah, this is where I’m weak. That that’s, I, I, man, you know, as, as, as, uh, Mr. Paul Washington just said that, that that’s a hard thing to admit. And you’ve come to realize that and you are working through it.
And, uh, I offer you my sincerest, you need help. Let us know, you know, um, we’ll be there for you. As you go through this, you know, that we’re there for you.
I just want to make sure that’s publicly put out, um, we’re there for you, brother. Um, as you continue down this journey, um, in your battle and the, just, just like the word says, you know, continue to stand, right. Continue to stand firm.
Um, in Philippians chapter one, verse 27, it says, whatever happens, I’m in the NIV. Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then he says, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel.
So take that first, the A clause, whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. And so I encourage you to continue to walk, um, out this journey and stand firm, you know, and, and, and lean on each, lean on one another. When you find yourself, there’s been times where I’ve had to call someone in an area where I found myself weak.
And I leaned on, I believe it, I leaned on they faith. So I say, I do applaud you. Any, any other, um, comments?
Nope, I see Bishop back on. You got something, Bishop?
[Speaker 2] (53:40 – 59:19)
The joy of today, man. Today’s been a great day. Today’s been a great day.
Um, earlier, question in a different setting was, was, um, what would it cost you or not cost you to speak boldly? What would it cost you or what won’t it cost you to speak boldly? In Acts chapter nine, uh, there is this, there’s this Paul and Barnabas type relationship where Paul is wanting to get with the other disciples and they are afraid because they knew him as Saul.
They knew that he was, he was dangerous. In other words, they knew him as, as, as provocative, confrontational, dangerous. And they didn’t want to, they didn’t want to let him in.
But Barnabas was able to, to, to give a testament that his life has been changed. His life has been converted and he now speaks boldly in the name of the Lord. And, and tonight I see that you are giving us an opportunity to look at our own lives and to see which area in our lives that we are maybe not yet speaking as boldly in the name of the Lord as we can.
And what I gain from that is that, is that there is a time when I have to count up the post. What, what is going to cost me to speak boldly in the name of the Lord? What do I understand that is going to cost me if I don’t?
And if I’m glancing around to see who’s going to pat me on the back, who’s going to permit me to come to their church next time and pray, who’s going to allow me to come in a circle of conversation? I have to count up the cost because I’m going to stand before the Lord. I have to give account of the deposits that’s being made.
And I think that’s the beauty of knowing that if I keep attending a church where the Bible is being taught, there’s a possibility that I can begin to believe the Bible, then there’s an expectation that I’m applying the word of God to my life. Then, then, then am I really, am I really going to just sit it out? Or am I going to trust in the name of the Lord and speak up?
And speak boldly. I think that’s one of the benefits of that, of looking at that narrative that Barnabas was able to say, I can tell you for myself, this dude’s been converted. This brother’s life is being changed.
God is doing a work in him. And so I’m encouraged at my church, I’m not trying to make brothers be something they ain’t, but to let them know there’s a need for conversion. There’s a real need to be able to hang around each other and see that, man, you don’t use as much profanity as you used to.
Man, man, you ain’t always grabbing that bottle like you used to. I ain’t heard you chasing them sisters like you used to. We need to be willing to be close enough to be held accountable for the growth that we want to see.
And that area that we’re, as you said, it’s hard to admit that I ain’t done yet. You know what I’m saying? Some people can tell that you all talk and ain’t got nothing backing up.
Some folk can literally, with a spirit of discernment, see that you just faking the funk back in the day. That’s what we would call it. Let me say, I will show some Pastor Howe.
The Lord said, I want you to take a look at a shiny dime. It’s shining. I want you to look at a dirty dime.
Look at the dirty dime. And he said, I want you to know they still both worth 10 pennies. Two nickels.
One shining and one dirty. But they still ain’t but worth 10 pennies a dime. And so, man, I appreciate you, brother.
Just keep standing, carry, keep moving, keep grooving. Brother Paul, Washington, I know you. And Kenneth and Sean and Aaron, thank y’all for letting me intrude on y’all conversation tonight.
And y’all can join True Vine when we do our Brother Faith meeting. It ain’t a whole bunch of dudes, just about a little handful like this. But we love God.
And we love to edify. We love to build up. That’s what this is about, building up my brother, because I don’t know when I’m going to need you.
And you don’t know when you’re going to need me. That’s why we should invest in trying to help each other, because we don’t know what tomorrow’s going to hold. I appreciate that.
I’m finna get out of y’all calling. Y’all ain’t going to talk bad about me now. I’m good.
[Speaker 1] (59:19 – 1:03:13)
Ain’t nobody going to talk bad. Actually, you was on our mind earlier today, me and Paul together. And he said, you know, I was just about to call Bishop Smith.
I said, what? He said, yeah, I was just about to call Bishop Smith. Something was going on.
He said, man, I said, I didn’t know who to call. You weren’t available. I had my hand over Bishop Smith’s number.
I said, well, you know, here’s the answer to the phone for you. But all right. Hey, as we close out, let me get ready to close out.
I want to let everyone know what we’re going to be talking about. I pray y’all got something out of it, you know, out of each lesson that we’re doing. Again, this is, this is, this, this, this is the five commands, you know, so we’re going to be moving into, to lesson three, the five commands.
And the next one is courage. You know, instantly my mind go to Joshua chapter nine, chapter one, verse nine. I’m sorry.
Joshua chapter one, verse nine. That instantly where my mind goes, it instantly goes there, you know, be strong and very courageous. As the Bible tells, have I not commanded you?
The Lord says to him. I love that. I’ve always loved that passage of verse when it comes to, to standing strong.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid.
Do not be discouraged for the Lord. Your God will be with you wherever you go. Next week, next, not next week, but the week after next, we’re going to be talking about being men of courage, being men of courage.
And we’ll be kind of looking at, and, and breaking down what it takes to be a man of courage. So we got to be on guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage, be strong, do everything in love. The last one is love.
The last one is love. I believe the greatest of these, as the Bible says, is that last one, love, you know, Bible says, faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love. All right.
Your scriptural reference of that is, let me get it for you. This first Corinthians chapter 13, verse 13. It says, but right now, until that completes, we have, I’m reading from the message.
We have these three things to do to lead us towards the consummation. Trust steadily in God, hope uncertainly, and love extravagantly. And the best one of these is love.
In the, let me find it. In the New King James, it says this, and now abide faith, hope, and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love.
Next week, we’re going to be talking about courage. We got to that, not next week. I keep saying next week.
It’s like, I want to come on next week. We got the next, our next men’s meeting, we’re going to be talking about courage. Then we’ll have, be strong, and we’ll wrap it up this series with love.
We’ll wrap it up with love. We’re going to go ahead, and I’m going to end it. Would anybody like to close us out in prayer?
If not, I’ll do it.
[Speaker 6] (1:03:15 – 1:03:16)
I’ll do it.
[Speaker 1] (1:03:17 – 1:03:18)
Awesome. Let’s go.
[Speaker 6] (1:03:25 – 1:03:26)
Everybody ready?
[Speaker 3] (1:03:28 – 1:03:29)
All right.
[Speaker 1] (1:03:29 – 1:03:30)
Let’s go.
[Speaker 3] (1:03:31 – 1:05:24)
Okay. Dear Lord, I thank you tonight for allowing us to come together as men, being able to talk through what it means to be a man of God. And we thank you that you’ve given us your word.
You have given us people to speak to us, and caused us to be open with each other, and to be able to think upon your word, and ponder it into our life. And not only just have it inside of us, but get it to a point to where it becomes action for us. We thank you for everything that you’re doing in our lives.
We thank you for everything that you have done, everything that you are doing, everything that you will do. We know it’s not an easy life for us, but just as the subject matter was about today, we’re going to do our best to stand firm. And if we can’t do that, then we’ll stand.
We thank you for each and every single brother that was able to actually make it through the war. And for those who didn’t make it through the war, please watch over them. Have them protected, and guarded, and watch over them, for they are in our hearts, and in our minds.
And we love you, Lord. We look forward to hearing what you have for us, and more of these classes, and what you have for us, and your words after these classes, and how we can apply those. We thank you.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
[Speaker 1] (1:05:25 – 1:05:26)
Amen.
No responses yet